GMCH boils after attack
Docs warn of action

A STAFF REPORTER

Dec. 7: Junior doctors at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) today set a 48-hour deadline for the arrest of culprits who allegedly issued a death threat to a senior doctor on duty and ransacked some property of the hospital last night.

The Junior Doctors’ Association also warned the authorities concerned that it would intensify its protest in case the culprits are not brought to book within the stipulated deadline.

GMCH superintendent Ramen Talukdar told The Telegraph that a 75-year-old patient was admitted to the intensive care unit of the cardiology department in a serious condition. Quoting the doctors on duty, he said all vital parameters, including pulse rate and blood pressure of the patient, were not normal.

“Doctors tried hard to save the patient. But the relatives raised a hue and cry when the patient was declared dead and started accusing the doctors on duty of negligence. Some of them started breaking the glasses of the cardiology ICU and were about to attack a cardiologist on duty, M. Hussain. They were pacified after the arrival of the hospital security personnel and other senior staff. The incident was very unfortunate and highly condemnable,” Talukdar said.

The association’s president, Manash Jyoti Taw, said these events have become increasingly common in the hospital nowadays, causing insecurity and fear among doctors, especially those who are on night shift. He said the hospital authority has to make effective security arrangements in the hospital.

The association last year staged a demonstration in the front of the casualty ward when relatives of a patient, who died after an accident, assaulted a doctor on duty, seriously injuring him.

In November, another patient party tried to ransack the office of the superintendent on charges of negligence. Many such incidents had gone unnoticed, a source said.

“The association demands deployment of armed security personnel at the GMCH and strict security check of all visitors to the hospital. If the culprits of yesterday’s incident are not arrested within Sunday, we will further intensify our protest,” Taw said.

Talukdar said running a large public hospital like the GMCH is a tough job and everyone, including the patient parties, have to be co-operative and be patient to ensure smooth delivery of health services.

“I have been repeatedly telling everyone to come to me and lodge their grievances. My office will try to address them as far as possible. We have informed Bhangagarh police station about yesterday’s incident,” he said.